Annual sheep count coming up in desert

Ernie Cowan

Last summer, sheep counters recorded 296 bighorn.

Last summer, sheep counters recorded 296 bighorn. (Ernie Cowan)

ERNIE COWAN Outdoors

There are “desert rats” that have spent a lifetime exploring San Diego’s arid lands and they have never seen a bighorn sheep. And there is another group of wildlife lovers who spend the hottest days of summer at remote desert locations as citizen scientists counting these beautiful animals. You could be one of those.

Kathy Dice, superintendent of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, has put out the call for volunteers to participate in the 47th annual Bighorn Sheep Count. This year’s event is scheduled for June 30 through July 1, with all new volunteers participating in a mandatory orientation in Borrego Springs on June 17.

The annual sheep count involves as many as 60 volunteers who travel to about 20 locations from the palm groves of Borrego Palm Canyon to extremely remote springs in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Counters spend three days at the few desert waterholes that do not dry up during the summer. The limited water sources mean counters are more likely to see animals as they come in to drink.

Last summer, sheep counters recorded 296 bighorn while enduring daytime temperatures that reached as high as 107 degrees. The highest number of sheep recorded was in 2009, when 356 were tallied.

The June 17 orientation is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of California Irvine Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center, 401 Tilting T Drive, Borrego Springs. Training will include bighorn sheep natural history, census methods, desert safety and preliminary site assignments.

Volunteers interested in participating in the count can contact the Anza-Borrego Foundation at (760) 767-0446, or email ab.sheepcount@parks.ca.gov.

This year’s count will be dedicated to the late State Park Ranger Steve Bier, who served as count coordinator in past years.

Youth event

The San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation is sponsoring an event for youngsters to teach them about turkey hunting.

The annual J.A.K.E.S. event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 24 at the Escondido Fish and Game Association shooting range, at Lake Wohlford and Old Guejito Road in Valley Center.

J.A.K.E.S. stands for Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship and is a program designed to involve local youths in wildlife conservation and wise stewardship of the natural resources.

Event Chairman Steve Turigliatto said youngsters will be able to participate in shooting .22’s, black powder guns, shotguns, BB guns and archery. They will also learn the history of San Diego turkey hunting and the biology of wild turkeys.

The event is free to kids 6 to 15 and $10 for adults. This includes all of the shooting events, a T-shirt, lunch and refreshments. Youngsters will also receive a certificate of completion.

Turigliatto said there is a limit of 105 participants. Sign up by calling (760) 803-4868.

Fishing license measure

A legislative bill that would change how California fishing licenses are issued has passed the state Senate. If the bill advances and is signed by the governor, SB 187 would mean a fishing license would be good for 12 months from the date of purchase. Currently, California fishing licenses are issued for a calendar year and this means many people may not purchase a license late in the year during some of the best fishing times.

“This bill would not only improve access to recreational fishing, it will protect California jobs dependent on outdoor tourism,” said Sen. Tom Berryhill, author of SB 187. “Labor unions, state and local chambers of commerce, anglers, tourism groups and everyday Californians recognize that California’s antiquated fishing licensing program has proven to be a barrier to participation.”

California currently has one of the most expensive fishing licenses in the nation and sales have been dropping. It is hoped this change in the law would encourage more people to buy a license.

The effort to change licenses to one-year at date of purchase failed in past attempts, but an impressive coalition of state and local organizations are now backing the change.

Leading the effort is the California Sportfishing League, a nonprofit coalition of fresh and saltwater anglers and businesses devoted to protecting access to recreational fishing. California’s 2,795,253 million anglers generate $4.6 billion in economic activity annually, supporting local tourism and jobs, according to the CSL.

This bill must still be approved by the state Assembly and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

If you have a story of interest, email ernie@packtrain.com. Visit erniesoutdoors.blogspot.com.